Crossed Paths Part 8
by Oracle Pisces
Summary: The power behind Buffy’s abductor is revealed to her, but now it seems like she’s the one that has been neutered...she’s powerful to free herself...there's one tiny complication.


An Island off the western coast of Ireland

Buffy Summers opened her eyes slowly. Her eyelids felt very were heavy, as well as her arms and legs. She experimentally moved her arm and heard the clink of chains.

"Oh great." Buffy spoke, her throat felt like it had been run over by a lawnmower. Her eyes began to droop as she fell back asleep from whatever they drugged her with.

Several hours later she opened her eyes. The drugs had pretty much worn off. She felt a little clearer headed. The chains were still there. She gave one of then a good yank, but it did not move. The chains themselves were attached to the heavy wooden bedposts.

The room was sparsely furnished. There was only a standing wardrobe, a table with a chair, an armchair by the window, and a door that she assumed led to the bathroom. The door opened, and Castillo made his way into the room carrying a tray of food.

"Good. You're awake. I was beginning to believe that I dosed you too much. You never can tell with that mystical stuff. Regular chloroform wouldn't work on you," he set the tray on the table, "Sorry about the chains. They're only temporary, but very necessary."

"I could say the same thing about your time on this earth, except for the necessary part. I don't kill people, but in your case I think I'll make an exception. Limited time offer, you can't pass this one up." Buffy continued to pull at the chains.

"Very funny, Slayer. I'll pass. You need to learn to behave yourself…we're going to be together for some time." Castillo sat on the bed.

Buffy broke the links of one of the shackles and bounded towards Castillo, only to be pushed back by some force. She landed on the bed. She tried to swing the chain as a weapon, but all she could manage was lifting her arms and the chain hung downwards.

"It worked. Thank goodness," Castillo expelled his relief, "That looked like it would have hurt a great deal. It may have even killed me, had I been a normal man." Castillo smiled malevolently.

Buffy was stunned. She didn't understand what was happening. Buffy couldn't inflict any damage, even though she certainly had the burning desire to kick his ass.

"Why? How? Why can't I hurt you?" Buffy asked in a stunned voice.

"A little protection charm. You won't be able to hurt a fly, literally. We can't have you hurting yourself. Now, eat up…you're eating for two now." Castillo rose and went out the door.

"What do you mean two?" Buffy asked as the door shut.

Buffy wasn't sure what he meant by that remark. She was the only one in the room. Who else would she be feeding? Then it hit her. She couldn't be pregnant. She could get pregnant, but not by Methos.

There was simply no way. Buffy's last lover couldn't have fathered a child either. Immortals and vampires couldn't have children. Buffy was very confused, and was getting a little dizzy too. Her hand went to the plate to sweep it from the table, but nothing happened. This whole situation was surreal.

"This can't be happening." Buffy said to the empty room. Just then, she felt a fluttering in her belly. In that moment she knew that Castillo was telling the truth. There was a life growing within her. A son or daughter created with love by her and Methos. He was going to be a father. He'd literally be 'father time'. Methos would love that.

Buffy sighed heavily and picked up the fruit bowl. She wasn't really hungry, but it was for the baby's sake. She took a seat at the window, and munched on the fruit, sipping the glass of warm milk that was also on the tray.

Buffy sat at the window long after she ate, and just stared at the water. The sun had set and she continued to look out into the dark. Her Slayer sense picked up the presence of a vampire and she turned around. The vampire known as Drusilla glided gracefully into the room. She stood before Buffy with a sweet smile upon her ruby lips.

"Hello, darling." She purred.

"Oh my god. You're behind this?!" Buffy felt her anger rise. The vampire smiled at her once more, and began to toy with the hair of the doll she carried in her arms.

"Don't be so surprised. I wish I could take all the credit, but naughty Esteban gave a helped too. He's such a deliciously wicked boy. Isn't that right, Miss Edith?" Drusilla talked to the blindfolded doll as if it were a real person.

"He wants your lover's pretty head. He wants the prize inside…all that lovely knowledge he has locked away. Miss Edith whispers that you've got a surprise of your own inside you. A nasty surprise that we need to rip out, but we can't yet, its not ripe for the picking. We have to wait like good children. It's just like you to ruin everything, Slayer. Meddlesome girl, she is, Miss Edith." Drusilla spoke to the doll, but she never took her eyes off of Buffy.

"You're crazy. Angel was right to set you and Darla on fire…too bad you didn't burn up. Even Spike thought you were crazy, and that's saying something." Buffy had to get her dig in. That was the only way she was going to get back at the vampire.

Drusilla's face vamped out and she approached Buffy. She pulled back her hand to slap Buffy, but stopped, then regained her composure.

"Nasty Slayer! You ruined my Spike. You were like a sickness in him. You infected him like a disease, you dirty girl! I could see him all over you. Filthy… dirty…parasite. My poor William is dead because of you." All Drusilla could do was yell and screech at her.

Buffy just sat there and smothered a laugh. She wasn't as defenseless as she thought. If she was going to be stuck here, she wasn't going to make it comfy for them either.

"Aww… poor Drusilla. Girl to dead tramp, I don't think you were woman enough to keep him. I didn't ruin him. I loved him. He was my Champion. He saved the world because he loved me." Buffy added a little extra emphasis on that last part, just to drive her point home.

Drusilla snarled at Buffy, and then calmed down enough for her human face to come back. The vampire smiled malevolently at the Slayer.

"Naughty girl, making me angry like that. Have your fun now, my pet. It's all you have left. As soon as that abomination is ripe for picking, we're going to rip it right out of you for a lovely treat, Tah tah." Drusilla glided from the room with her crimson skirts trailing behind her.

"Least I can still have fun," Buffy threw the taunt to the closing door, and the baby fluttered again inside of her, "I guess they're right. We'll get out of here somehow. I promise." Buffy promised the growing life within her.

There had to be some way out of there. Castillo and Drusilla weren't planning on killing her any time soon. Apparently they were waiting for Buffy to give birth. How far along was she? It couldn't be more than two or three months at the most. Buffy promised herself, and her child that they would see a sunrise together someday with Methos. That was the one thing she had to hold onto…seeing Methos again.

Buffy had so much to plan for right now. She had to find a way to escape, pick out a name for the baby, figure out how far the protection spell went, and kill her captors. Buffy hoped the group would be able to find her. They had to, especially now. Methos had to know about the baby.

There were so many things she wanted to show her baby…a sunrise and sunset, a rainbow, the mall, and especially her father's smile. Those were just a few of the million things that came to mind. She was determined that the baby would be a girl…that way she could introduce her to the intricacies of shopping. The thought made Buffy smile.

Two months later

Midnight-eastern Canada

Methos threw his bloodied sword down on the hotel bed. On top of that he flung his extremely dusty jacket. Mac lumbered in and did the same thing. The two of them had just returned from exterminating yet another vampire nest. This nest had been the fifth in two weeks and that brought the total to 11 in three months.

Sure, every vampire had heard of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but no one had seen any sign of her, and of course they had to kill them all before word spread that she was gone. A few of the vampires thought she was just a myth. That notion made Methos smile…his Buffy was her own legend.

Mac fell backwards onto his bed, and rubbed his face with the sleeve of his shirt. There was a heady mixture of blood, sweat, and vampire dust there.

"That nest was what…the fifth one? Do you think we'll get honorary Slayer badges? God, I am beat." Mac rolled over and buried his head in the pillow.

Methos sat down on the end of the bed and hung his head. He felt so defeated and spiritless. There was still no sign of his love. He braced his arms on his legs and sighed.

"Perhaps. You should call the others and let them know it was another failure." Methos picked himself up and went into the bathroom to clean to up.

Mac checked his watch and saw that it was mid-morning in London. Willow would be awake, and down in the library right now. He picked up the hotel phone and dialed the factory. It rang twice and she answered.

"Hello, my love. No, there was no sign of Buffy. No, Methos doesn't hate you. No, It is not your fault and for the 100th time, he doesn't blame you for us not finding her. He's told you several times. What's Joe saying? Ok, put him on the phone. I love you. No, Joe, I don't love you. What? Say that again. Are you in any way joking? Shit! Of course that's bad news," Mac grabbed the hotel notepad and scrawled down the information that Joe gave to him, " Fuck! All right, we're booked on tomorrow afternoon's flight. Ok, the tickets are waiting for us at the counter. We'll see you tomorrow night. Bye." Mac slammed the phone done on the cradle and cursed in many languages.

Methos was standing in the doorway and looked questioningly at him. Mac didn't want to tell him the information that Joe gave him. It would only make things worse for Methos. News like this could really bury the other man's spirits for good.

"What is the matter, McLeod?" He asked as he rubbed his hair dry with the towel. He sensed Mac's hesitation. There was something that his friend was hiding from him. It was information that he was loath to tell him.

"Methos, Cassandra is missing." Mac said.

"What do you mean she's missing?" Methos dropped the towel from his head, and held it in his hand.

"Her Watcher called Joe this morning. She just locked up her shop in San Diego and boarded a plane. She doesn't know where." Mac said it and tried to gauge Methos's reaction. There was none.

Methos just continued to dry his hair, and then went back into the bathroom to get rid of the towel. He had put on a hotel robe, and then switched on the evening news. It had become the evening habit since they took off from London. Methos was always hoping to catch some hint of Buffy in the background or behind a weird occurrence somewhere in the world.

"I'm glad to see you're handling this so well, Methos." Mac stood and took off his shirt and tossed it on the bed.

"I am happy to oblige." He kept his eyes on the television, and turned the channel to another station. Mac just shook his head in frustration and went to go take his own shower. He simply didn't understand his lack of an emotional response. If it had been Willow, Mac would have torn the world apart to find her.

Willow. She was fantastic. Sometimes Mac felt a little guilty at being so happy with her, while his friend was suffering. Mac stepped into the shower and thought about Willow's map. Before they left, Willow tried the spell again. This time, 10 stars appeared in different places on the world map…Eastern Canada, Connecticut, Maine, New York, Morocco, Amsterdam, Greenland, Germany, Graciosa Island in the Azores and southern Spain. There was just something about the pattern that bugged him.

Willow worked the spell three times, and the stars appeared in the same places. Mac turned off the shower and stepped out. He dried himself off and went to the sink to shave as he continued to think.

When the stars didn't move, the group decided to check the places out. They had also enlisted the help of Faith the Vampire Slayer and former high school principal, Robin Wood. Giles and Joe managed a very early release for Faith.

When Faith was brought up to speed on the situation, she went to check on some contacts in Las Vegas with Robin. They didn't find out anything helpful while they were there, but managed to get married before they left. Everyone was surprised, including the newlyweds. They all gathered in London.

It was agreed upon that Joe and Willow remain in London to keep the teams informed of any new developments. Angel and Kennedy checked out the spots on the east coast of the U.S. Giles and Xander hit Amsterdam and Germany. Sean and Robin hit Morocco and southern Spain. Methos and Mac were left to check out Greenland and eastern Canada. The island in the Azores was checked by a local contact of Giles's.

Faith had elected to also stay behind and continue to train the Slayers. She wanted them in shape in case it came down to a huge fight to get the missing Slayer back. It was what Buffy would have wanted.

Each team was given a tracking device that Fred and Willow cooked up. The two of them tapped into the essence of Buffy's scythe. It worked on Faith and all the other Slayers. It should be able to find Buffy too.

When he finished shaving, he still hadn't come up with an answer. He cleaned out the sink and went back into the room. Methos was now in his bed, still fixed on the news.

"How're you doing, Methos?" Mac looked at his friend.

"The same… Highlander." He didn't take his eyes off the news. Every time Mac asked him how he was, Methos would always give the same answer.

"I was expecting a little more reaction to Cassandra's disappearance." Mac sat on the edge of Methos's bed. Methos turned off the news and tossed the remote on the nightstand.

"How would you have me react, McLeod? Shall I wail and tear my hair? It will not give me insight into where Cassandra went, or if she is coming for my head yet again. I no longer have the desire to stop her. There is no point to any of it anymore, to anything." Methos turned on his side away from Mac.

"You're just giving up? Just like that? Methos…" Mac was angry.

"Goodnight, Highlander." Methos said and Mac knew there would be no more discussion on the matter.

Mac got into his own bed and turned out the lights. He was so pissed off at Methos right now, he didn't know how he was going to sleep, but unfortunately his body didn't agree with him. Half an hour later, Mac was asleep.

Methos lay there in the darkness thinking. McLeod was wrong. He wasn't giving up…Methos was bowing to the inevitable. There was a difference. He continued to think on into the early hours of the morning.

Some time around three a.m., Methos roused Mac by shaking him awake.

"Methos? What?" He shielded his eyes when Methos turned on the light.

"We're leaving this morning, McLeod. I have booked us on the 8 a.m. flight and called Joe with the change in schedule. I have set the alarm for 6 a.m. The cab will pick us up at 6:30 a.m. I've notified everyone. They are en-route to London as of this moment." Methos had that fire back in his eyes. He was back in the game.

"Great. Can I go back to sleep now?" Mac yawned.

"You may." Methos smiled for the first time in months and shut the light off.

He got back into bed and went back to sleep. He dreamed of when he chased Buffy around Giles's apartment, it had been the first time he and Buffy had made love. Buffy had been hiding in Giles's bathtub and when he discovered her, and then he switched on the water. Methos smiled in his sleep and continued to dream.

Across the Atlantic

Buffy Summers lay in the bathtub. She watched the water lap against the sides of her rounded belly. It wasn't overly large or anything, it was just bigger than her normal size.

The baby moved a lot when she was in the water. She must love the water. Buffy ran her hands over her belly, and imagined Methos's hand touching the baby. She loved how his eyes lit up when he discovered something or when he was being mischievous. It was a look he had that look in his eyes constantly when he looked at her.

Buffy knew he was out looking for her. Her family would be looking for her too. Whatever deal Drusilla had made with whoever, was keeping Buffy here. Of course, being who she was, she didn't stop trying. She could get as far as the edge of the beach, but never make it to the water.

Every time she tried, the barrier pushed her back. Buffy many several running attempts at first, and was thrown about 20 feet back and landed on her, butt. She could barely sit for two days because her butt was so sore.

Buffy pulled the tub stopper, and watched the water circle down the drain. She carefully got out of the tub and dried herself off. When she was dressed, Buffy took a book from the bookcase, and ventured into the living room. There was no sign of Castillo.

For the most part, Castillo stayed away from her. He was afraid of her, despite his arrogance. Drusilla on the other hand was a real pain in the ass. She always showed up at night at the same time like clockwork, and taunted Buffy with all the things she would do to the baby.

Buffy remembered something Spike had once said…it was all tough guy talk; vampires were mostly just big talk, no action. Drusilla was different; she was capable of doing those things.

Most of the time Buffy ignored her taunts, but there were times when the vampire's barbs hit their mark. Buffy just chalked it up to her hormones being out of whack. She'd cry at the littlest things. She wished her mother were there to explain what was happening to her. Like always, she was alone. The baby kicked to reassure her mother that she wasn't alone any longer.

Buffy didn't feel like staying inside now. She went to the front door and opened it to see Castillo standing there with a bag from the grocery.

"Good morning, Buffy." He moved past her and went into the kitchen with the bag.

"Well, if it isn't the friendly neighborhood kidnapper's idiot lackey," She called out to him. Buffy went into the kitchen to see what he brought and stood in the doorway watching him, "You seem like a decent guy, in a stupid, misguided bonehead, and did I say stupid…way. Why help the psycho vamp tramp?"

"Contrary to popular belief, flattery will get you anywhere…except in your case, it won't get you off this island." Castillo began to put things away in the cupboards.

"You didn't answer my question." Buffy prodded.

"You have to understand what an accomplishment it would be to take Methos's head. He's not just another immortal, Buffy. He was a myth, little Slayer. A myth that turned out to be true." Castillo looked at Buffy with the excitement of a small child.

Buffy crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him. He just smiled arrogantly and continued to unpack the groceries. Buffy's glare did nothing to deter him.

"What's the biggie? Methos is 5000 years old, so what." Buffy tried to play it off like it were nothing, but Castillo just laughed at her.

"You're so young, Buffy. You're so young, and so naïve. Can you imagine the things that he has done, the places he's been, and the events that he's been a part of. When I take his head, I will be all that he is, and that is the greatest prize," Castillo looked her over appreciatively, "Methos has great taste. Perhaps I can persuade Drusilla not to kill you. Your baby will unfortunately have to go. Drusilla has plans for it, and it promises not to be pretty." He finished his task and faced Buffy.

"You're bent." Buffy gritted through her teeth, and stalked out the kitchen door to the salty sea air.

Three months she'd been here, how much longer was she going to have to put up with these people? Three months, she thought again. She wanted to go home. She wanted Methos and her family very badly, but there was nothing she could do. Despair was threatening to swallow her and Buffy sat on the sand and cried.

"Buffy, love, don't cry." Buffy opened her eyes and saw Spike sitting on the beach next to her in broad daylight.

"Spike?" Buffy cried harder into her hands, and then looked up to see him.

"Yes, lamb. I'm here."

"You're here again…how?" Buffy wiped at her eyes.

It had been months since she had thought about that day she lost him. She'd been moving on with a new life and a new love. She had been happy for once.

"Not sure, but I'm here. Look at you…bloomin'with baby. Isn't that something? Good look for you, pet. Seems the librarian has definitely staked out his territory. Going to be special, she is. Just like her mum," Spike placed a hand on Buffy's rounded stomach, and Buffy felt the baby kick, "She likes me, just like her mum…Smart girl." Spike smiled. Buffy's eyes overflowed with tears.

"They want to kill her. She's not supposed to exist. Immortals can't have kids, but here she is." Buffy put her hand on top of Spike's.

Her daughter kicked again, and Spike just smiled sadly at her. He smoothed his hand over the place where the baby rested, and Buffy felt comforted by his presence. They sat like that for several minutes.

"I know, love. It can't come to that. She's too important. She's got a prophecy to fulfill. Not even born yet and she's already on the job. She's going to take after her mum, right and proper." Spike leaned down and kissed the baby.

"Prophecy?! I am so damn sick of that word! I'm not the only Slayer anymore. Let the prophecy people give someone else a shot. I'm done. Why can't they just leave me alone? I'm…I'm in 'grave danger' girl again, now with baby-on-board. Why? I am way so sick of this!!" Buffy started to cry again, but the tears were not of sorrow, but of anger.

"I told you, Buffy. You're still the One. All the other little Slayers and even Faith are just Santa's little helpers. You're my One, forever. You have got to see this little one brought into the world and have her chance. The First may have been beaten back, but it's more than a might ticked off and wants payback. The little one needs to grow up, and has her shot. Your girl and Angel's boy are the ones you'll pass your torch to. They're your hope for the future." Spike stroked Buffy's cheek.

"Angel's son?"

Buffy was stunned. Angel had a son? How could he have a son? Who did he have a son with? Why hadn't he told her? Willow had been to Los Angeles to get Faith, seen Angel, but didn't say anything to her about Angel being a dad.

"It's a long story. Kid's name is Connor; he's even got his daddy's scowl down. You'll have to ask Captain Forehead about it someday. Anyways, Sir Brood-a-lot did a deal with some big power types, and now the kid has got a shiny new life and doesn't remember his pops," Spike looked across the water for a second and then turned his attention back to Buffy and looked down at his hands…they were starting to fade, "Looks like visitin' hours are almost up…someone's coming to see you, ducks. She's not what she's made out to be. She's owed something that the librarian took from her…." Spike said to her and then vanished.

London-the next evening

Joe Dawson picked up Mac and Methos from the airport. He informed them that everyone was now on their way back to London. The call had been put out on Cassandra too; a lot of eyes and ears were on the look out. Mac kept asking how it could have happened and what the Watchers were doing about it.

"We're working on it, Mac. She just seemed to go 'poof'. Angel's got a separate team of mystics working on that little problem. He said to tell you that two of the psychics' heads did explode…thought you might like that. Willow is still trying to perfect her locator spell." Joe brought them up to speed on the other events.

Eloise had taken personal charge of Dawn's training, while Willow worked on the mystical locators. The former Watcher had said to Giles one day that the younger Summers girl was a natural in her studies, and would make a top quality Watcher.

Brenna also continued to work on her studies, she missed Xander a great deal, but he called her every night to say 'hello'…she was what kept him sane he had said. She and Sean sometimes also went out on patrol themselves with the Slayers.

Sean continued the girls' weapons training. He hadn't actually been a Watcher, more the apprentice to the weapons master of the Council, but it looked like he would also start to take on more duties, maybe even become a Watcher himself someday.

Mac thought about Willow as Joe talked, he wanted nothing more right now than to see his girlfriend. The time apart was becoming much too hard on both of them. They'd come so far in their relationship and now with this tragedy, it was being stretched.

"How's she doing, Joe? Still burning her candle at both ends?" Mac asked.

"She's a spunky little gal, buddy. Yeah, she's doing that all right. Hell, I think she's even burning it from the middle. Girl's wearing herself down really quick with worrying about Buffy, missing you, and working the mojo. She needs a break." Joe told Mac and the three of them drove the rest of the way to the factory in silence.

Methos said nothing on the way to the factory. He barely spoke to Mac during the flight from Canada.

"Just think, when this is over, I'll be able to take her on a great vacation with all the frequent flier miles we've racked up." Mac had tried a bit of levity, and it went down like a lead balloon.

Methos would tell him later on that he did appreciate the humor of his comment. His mind was just busy trying to figure out Mac's theory. They arrived at the factory to find Xander and Giles arriving at the same time. The small group went into the library to find Brenna alone, and Willow was upstairs resting. Xander greeted his fellow Watcher-in-training with a very enthusiastic kiss.

"Xander, would mind taking your lips off Miss Gallagher for a moment?" Giles said.

"I would mind, but we've got the business thing, sorry honey." Xander kissed Brenna one more time before they all sat down.

"You find anything out, Giles? We've hit a wall here." Joe said to Buffy's Watcher.

"No, our search was a complete and exhaustive exercise in futility…" Giles said, but Xander interrupted him.

"Still too many word many, G-man. Couldn't you just say…'No, we came up empty'? See the economic use of the phrasing…simple and quick." Xander gestured with his hand as he spoke.

"Thank you for the grammar lesson, Xander. No, Joe…we didn't find anything. Has there been any word from your Council?" Giles hoped there would be.

"I somehow doubt it." Mac said dryly, which earned him a grimace from Joe.

"Not a word. They did put out the word for the woman after Methos. That's about all the blood I've been able to pull out of that stone." Joe said.

"Who is this chick anyhow?" Xander asked, and then Joe went on to explain to everyone who exactly Cassandra was, and why she's want Methos dead.

Mac had already heard this story, and left everyone there and went to check on his girlfriend. He arrived at the apartment door and left himself in with the key Willow gave him before he left. Willow lay curled up on the couch with one hand buried in a bag of chips and the other tucked under her cheek.

Mac carefully removed the bag without waking her up. He sat down on the couch, and brushed the hair out of her face. Willow's eye fluttered open, and she smiled sleepily at him.

"Hey." She said, her voice a little raspy still from sleep.

"Hi. You need to get up. We've got work to do." He pulled her gently off the couch and headed in the direction of the bathroom. Willow complained sleepily the whole way, and yawned loudly when they got in the bathroom.

Mac reached into the shower and turned on the water. When it was the right temperature, he removed her clothes and gently pushed her into stall.

"HEY!" She yelped when the warm spray hit her.

"I love you, darling, but you smell like potato chips." Mac moved her back into the shower when she tried leaving. He slid the door shut on her. He smiled and then took off his own clothes. He opened the shower to see Willow leaning against the shower wall with her eye closed.

"Oh, no you don't," He pulled her into his arms and under the spray of the shower, "Wake up, sweetheart. You've got work to do." Mac pushed the wet hair out of her face.

"Come on. I'm so tired. Have pity." Willow whined.

Mac just shook his head and grabbed the shampoo from the rack. He squeezed some onto his palms and then worked the lather into her hair.

"The woman that has trying to kill Methos for centuries…" Mac said as he worked on her hair.

"Yeah, yeah. Cassandra. What's she got to do with anything?" Willow laid her head against his chest.

"She's missing. No one knows where she is…she's just gone. Methos doesn't care. He said if she wanted his head, he wouldn't stop her." Mac continued to wash her hair.

When she had time to process what he had just said, Willow instantly came awake and looked at Mac in alarm. Panic was in her eyes.

"What about Buffy? What am I supposed to tell her? What do you mean he won't stop her? What am I supposed to tell Buffy?" Willow said, and the shampoo began to run down her face.

"Willow, honey, calm down. That is precisely why I need you. We need to find out where she is. We need to find her before she finds Methos." He rinsed her hair and then kissed her shoulders.

He took the bath sponge from the rack and poured a little body wash on it. He lathered it up really good and began to wash her body. Willow tensed all over in arousal, so much so that she felt like she was going to explode. She opened her eyes when she couldn't feel his hands on her. He was standing there with nothing, but a smile. Mac held out the sponge to her.

"My turn." Mac smiled.

"Oh hah. Major funny." Willow took the sponge and washed him. When she got to his front, he kissed her as she soaped his chest. He rinsed off and Willow put the sponge back on the rack.

"You're going to have to wash your own hair. I can't reach." Willow opened the door and took a step out. Mac caught her by the waist, and brought her back to him and kissed her again.

He turned her around so she faced him. He grabbed her by the waist, hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs around him so that she wouldn't fall. Mac brought her down slowly until they were joined.

"Does this help?" He lowered her head and kissed her shoulder.

"Oh yeah, but its not going to get your hair washed." She panted.

"That's ok. I showered before we caught the plane back to London." He smiled widely at her.

"You are one big poopie head." She laughed and swatted his chest.

"I missed you." He kissed her again.

"Ditto." Willow kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

It was several minutes before they got out of the shower. When they stepped from the shower, they were all prune looking and worn out. A note was propped up against Mac's suitcase that was put on top of the bed.

'Mac, figured you might need this.' The note read and Mac laughed at it. 'So much for privacy', he thought. Willow looked over and read the note. She blushed bright red when she finished reading. It wasn't so much that someone had been in the room, but they could have heard them while they were making love in the shower.

Willow and Mac got dressed and they went downstairs. Methos and Giles looked up from the map, as they entered. Methos looked back down at the map and grinned.

"I'm glad that you both could join us, Highlander." Methos looked down at the map.

Willow blushed again. Giles excused himself to go get some tea. She sat down next to Methos and he hugged her with one arm, and then kissed her on her forehead.

"You good?" Willow hugged him too.

"I'm good, darling. McLeod, tell them about your theory." Methos said and let her go.

Mac grabbed a pen from the desk, marking the places where the stars appeared, and then connected them.

"What does this look like?" Mac asked the group.

"A balloon?" Xander scratched his head and readjusted his eye patch.

"Yeah." Joe agreed.

"Look a little closer, guys." Mac urged.

"It looks like a magnifying glass." Brenna said.

"Very good. I don't think the stars were showing us where to look for Buffy, but rather where to concentrate our search. We've already searched all of London and the neighboring counties. Look again. Look at the pattern." He tapped the map with his fingers and drew everyone's attention to the map.

"Willow, love, we need you to do your spell again." Methos took her hands in his and kissed them.

Willow frowned. She wasn't going to get anywhere new with it, and she was afraid her hands might catch fire again. Mac gave her a look of encouragement and she trod upstairs to get her supplies.

She returned a few moments later with what she needed. Willow sat on the couch and performed her spell. Willow's shoulders slumped when the stars appeared in the same places. They all looked at each other in defeat.

"It was a good try." Brenna said to her friend.

Methos hugged the depressed witch. She wanted very much to cry at that moment, but that wouldn't do anyone any good.

"Uh Willow, its working! It's working!" Xander exclaimed and grabbed Brenna and kissed her. She blushed furiously and so did Xander.

"The circle is closing in. Its outlining Ireland, Scotland, and England. You did it." Mac took hold of Willow and swung her around.

"I, uh, I did it!" Willow said happily when Mac set her on her feet again.

It was the first good news they had in a long while. Willow felt elated that something finally worked. She felt the hope well up in her.

"Let's try and find Cassandra now." Mac suggested. Xander, Brenna, Willow, and Joe all deflated. What was the matter with them? It should work. Why did everyone look so miserable right now?

"Mac, could you go wait outside the front door? Just for a minute, I promise." Willow asked and he went outside. Willow mixed the potion again and concentrated on Mac. The map sparkled a great deal, but there was no star to show where he was.

"I don't understand." Methos looked to Willow and she wanted to cry. The hope he had in his eyes dimmed. Xander went outside and got Mac. Mac walked in expecting to get more good news.

"Did it work?" he asked.

"No." Methos said and sat down on the couch with his shoulders sagging in defeat. Willow gathered the bottle of herbs together and held them against her chest. No one was explaining anything.

"What happened?" Mac asked.

"It didn't work. There's something about the immortal energy that confuses the spell. It just doesn't understand how to read you. I think it's also because you've died several time. Beyond that, I really don't know." Willow explained it to the two immortals. She felt like such a failure.

"Hey, it's a start, at least." Joe smiled warmly at her.

Joe's encouragement was very welcome, but she still pretty much felt like a failure. Willow looked at Methos, and her heart was breaking for him. His attention focused entirely on Willow, and she thought it was the end of the world.

"Mac, take her out of here." Methos said quietly, and Willow bit on her lip to keep from crying.

"Methos, man, she tried…have some respect…." Joe got to his feet.

" My darling girl, you are tired and you need a break. Highlander, take her away from here for at least a week. No magics, no spells, and especially no worries," Methos rose from the couch and bent to kiss Willow on the cheek, " I am sorry, dear heart, but you will not be any use to us if you are all tapped out."

Mac went to her and swept her off his feet. He told her that she weighed more than a truckload of potato chips, Willow laughed. They went upstairs to get her packed. Giles came in a moment later with his tea.

"Oh good, you convinced her to take a break," Giles took a sip from his drink and smiled at Methos, "Angel called just now. He thought you would want to know that another one of the psychics' heads very nearly exploded." Methos did smile at that. It meant that they were really looking.

Now they had more of an idea where to look for her. It wouldn't be much longer before they found her and brought her home. For the first time in months, Methos's spirit was light and he felt hopeful. Everyone would set off as soon as the rest of the group assembled.

249


End file.
